Betty Builds It
by Julie Hampton (Author)
Combining humor and art with STEM subjects of science, technology, and math, Betty Builds It explores a burgeoning friendship between a genius engineering robot girl and her sweet younger brother who just wants to support his sister.
Betty could build just about anything. Whatever she needs, she can make it for herself. But with a screen as her parental unit and her baby brother Toby who can't do much, Betty longs for a friend--so she builds one! While Toby struggles to get his sister's attention, Betty continues to build and build, until finally she realizes what she was looking for was beside her the whole time.
Betty Builds It is a sweet family story of the new friendship between siblings, and also celebrates and promotes women and girls in science.
Locate at a Library Near You WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
Find books about:
Kirkus
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2-Betty the robot is incredibly talented-she can jump, talk, and, most important, build. Given her abilities, she decides to build a friend that's more like her, much to the dismay of her annoying little brother. But her new friend isn't working out quite as expected, so Betty must keep tinkering away to create the perfect companion. The focus on engineering and troubleshooting could make this a great addition to a STEAM-powered storytime, and its traditional ending about learning to get along with your siblings makes the book well rounded. Illustrations are solid; character design is not overly cute or cartoonish, giving the work a pseudo-realistic look. The neutral palette and backgrounds also help ground the piece and give it a somewhat lifelike feel, which for some may shift the tone and make it less enjoyable. On the flip side, readers will like watching Betty use everyday materials and tools, like skateboard wheels and speaker components, to alter her friend to her new specifications, showing the everyday applications of building and inventing. VERDICT A solid STEAM-inspired addition.
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
JUV036000 - Juvenile Fiction | Science & Technology
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV056000 - Juvenile Fiction | Robots
